Japanese reluctant to take time off because of social pressures, economy

Posted: Saturday, December 16, 2000

CHIKAKO MOGIThe Associated Press

TOKYO - On paper, the Japanese worker looking for some time off doesn't have it so bad. Japan has more national holidays than the United States or Germany, and the average employee can count nearly 18 days of paid vacation.

Actually taking those days, however, is another matter altogether.

Despite a high-profile government effort to get people to take time off, the still shaky economy and entrenched social pressures are keeping Japan's workaholic work force in the office.

"I can't take any New Year's holidays," said office worker Masuko Tanaka. Though she won't be at her office on the first three days of the New Year, which are national holidays, her husband is a shopkeeper and she has to help out. When she takes her real vacation, a week in February, she'll go without him. He'll be working.

"I wish I could take more than a week," she said. "But the environment at work doesn't really let you do that."

According to the latest statistics released by the government, it is a lucky worker getting five straight days off around New Year's - Japan's most important holiday season. And of the average 17.8 days of paid vacation, most people actually take only about nine.

One of the main reasons is peer pressure.

Instead of seeing vacation time as an entitlement, many Japanese feel embarrassed to claim vacation days that will have them off while their co-workers aren't. Workers are thus much more comfortable taking national holidays, when everyone else gets a rest as well.

Putting in long hours is something most workers have done all their lives.

Japanese schools just recently began giving children every other Saturday off, and are hoping to make it every Saturday by 2002. Most kids spend much of their weekends, holidays and evenings at school anyway - participating in clubs or study groups.

But along with the social attitudes, the economy, still weak after its worst slowdown since World War II, is becoming an increasingly important factor as well.

Widespread restructuring in response to the tougher economic climate has left Japan's economy leaner and potentially stronger, but has also sent unemployment up to record levels.

This has created a double-edged problem for workers. Some feel afraid they will lose their jobs if they are too pushy about claiming their due vacation. Others, in smaller companies, have such an increased workload because of staff cuts that they feel they simply can't afford to go.

"There just isn't enough staff. Corporate restructuring is under way, and the amount of work each employee has to deal with is rising," said Soichi Otsuka, a general manager at medium-size Oji Shinkin Bank.

Government figures, compiled by the Labor Ministry, show that workers at small companies with fewer than 100 employees on average took just 43.7 percent of their paid holidays, compared with 56.5 percent at companies with more than 1,000 employees.

Employees at private electric power and gas companies, meanwhile, took the most of their holiday time, at 80 percent. Retailers took just 37 percent of their paid holidays.

The government's effort to encourage people to take more time off in part is due to its concern about Japan's widespread image as a workaholic nation. It also aims at bolstering consumption, one of the economy's weakest points now, as people spend more when on vacation.

Over the past decade, the government created a few more public holidays and shortened mandatory weekly work hours from 46 to 40. This year it also introduced a "happy Monday" system to make a couple of three-day holidays.

The government's measures "are making a contribution," said Labor Ministry official Takahiro Ohara.

In an increasing number of workplaces, it is now mandatory for workers to take a full week of paid holidays - and then there's the 15 national holidays.

For some, that's more than enough.

Takaaki Genda, president of a start-up company, said he doesn't feel he's deprived of holidays, even without any vacation time.

"I think there's enough days off," he said. "We have public holidays and weekends."